ROSS SEA WHALING

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 290, 7 September 1928, Page 13

ROSS SEA WHALING

UNFAIR COMPETITION 4 UNLICENSED FACTORY AT WORK ALLEGED WASTEFUL METHODS As no international agreement has yet been reached with respect to the operations of unlicensed whale factories in Ross Dependency, licensees (according to the annual report of the Marine Department presented to Parliament yesterday) may next • season be faced with further unfair competition such as may cause their operations to become unprofitable. “The' unlicensed whale factory, N. T. Neilson-Alonso, with her live whalecatchers, again operated in Ross Dependency during the season, this being her second season there,” states the report. “She is said to have procured approximately 46,000 barrels of oil, but it is not known actually how many whales were taken by that factory. This unlicensed factory, which uses Hobart, Tasmania, as her base, operated continuously in proximity to the factories of our licensees, and she was frequently, seen by them during the whaling season. Wasteful Methods Alleged. “The entire season’s operations by all the whale factories were carried out beyond the territorial waters on Ross Dependency, and mostly beyond sight of land; therefore, the unlicensed factory could not be interfered with. It was observed by dur licensees that the unlicensed factory practised wasteful methods of procuring oil, and when whales were in abundance many carcasses were not completely utilised, but were abandoned after the blubber had been stripped from them. Our licensees are required to utilise the carcasses of all whales taken, and not only the blubber, in the production of oil. Therefore, our licensees have to compete unfairly—that is, to carry out their whaling operations in competition with an unlicensed factory upon which restrictions cannot be imposed. The question of regulating the operations of unlicensed factories is a matter calling, for international agreement, and overtures in this direction have already been made, but it would appear that some time must elapse before complete agreement in this direction will be achieved. No Protection Possible. “Reports have already reached this Department that at least one more unlicensed factory intends to visit Ross Dependency during the coming season, doubtless owing to the success of last, season’s operations. If this eventuates our licensees will be faced with further competition, such as may cause their operations to become unprofitable. This will be unfortunate, but pending international agreement being accomplished we shall be unable to extend to our licensees any protection whatsoever, provided the unlicensed factories continue to operate as they have already done—that is, confine their operations without the territorial waters of Ross Dependency. Our experience of past seasons shows the most profitable whaling operations to be those carried out beyond the .territorial waters, and mostly beyond sight of land. Whales Not Depleted. “An abundance of whales during this season enabled our licesees’ factories, also the unlicensed factories, to complete their operations and depart from Ross Dependency before unfavourable weather conditions or a shortage of whales occurred. This would seem to show that whales have not become unduly depleted, but it is not an indication that the next will not be a lean season, or that whales may be scarce , in’Ross Dependency and more plentiful at other Antarctic whaling grounds. Further, this season’s operations in Falkland Island Dependency do not show the plentitude of whales in our dependency to have adversely influenced whaling operations in that portion of the Antarctic.”